Kununurra to Wyndham

We arrived at Lakeside Caravan Park, Kununurra on Tuesday 25th to a delightful setting right on the lake.  We heard a croc was in the water, but figured it would be a little freshie.  This morning we heard it was sunning itself by the picnic table, just a few sites down from us.  It wasn't the "little freshie" we thought it would be!

I know - never smile at a crocodile!

He was a big one - ~ 2 metres long, named "George".
A drive to the Hoochery, via a camping and fishing store - and an aboriginal art gallery was delightful although tasting the runs wasn't quite like a wine tasting.  For a $10 paddle you got 10 ml each of your chosen three rums - quite miserly we thought.  But the barramundi lunch made up for any small disappointment.

Kununurra Hoochery
Our visit to the sandalwood store didn't enlighten us at all about its growth and production which was a shame.  Chunks of the timber could be purchased for between $80 and $800 but figured it would just be a dust catcher.

Sandy and I found a gorgeous little boutique in a woman's house and helped her quest to shut up shop by buying several frocks and tops at 50-70% off.

There was talk of us camping at Wyndham at one stage - thankfully we decided to do a day trip to this very run down sea port instead.

There is a little excitement in the town however - "Mystery Road" and ABC production is going to be filming here next month and they'll be filming the six-part mini-series in Wyndham.  The Wyndham Hotel has had its name painted over, and the owners are lucky that the ABC is rebuilding it for the show.
The Wyndham Hotel.
Pixie, runs the local "junk" shop, with goods mainly on consignment from other Wyndham locals. "You'd be great in the show, Pixie" we all chorused.  "I told them, they can ask me anything they want to know, but don't put me in the show - everyone here knows I'm crazy, I don't want the whole world knowing it too"! was her response.  She was a real card.  I asked if I could take her photo, "Don't take mine", she said - "take one of the one on the wall, it's got less wrinkles"!

The delightful, Pixie.

And Pixie's portrait.
Next door we found the local historical society and another local, Ambrose, an aboriginal who, "takes important people from universities" out to the outback to see the very old aboriginal rock art.  He has written a book.
Ambrose

Ambrose's book
There were several photographs in the museum that were truly confronting.  We read that aboriginals were chained together in the 1890's and marched down to the water and sent into the water to wash - with the chains still around their necks.  Their treatment has been appalling.

   
We went in search of the Prison Boab Tree and the aboriginal rock art and we were not disappointed, although as I type this, in Kununurra Toyota - I'm hoping the sound I heard when reversing the Prado this afternoon wasn't a result of hitting a big ditch in that road yesterday.  Fingers crossed!

The Prison Boab Tree
Prison Boab Tree sign

The scramble to the top of the mountain where the aboriginal rock art is was a real effort.  Not only were there signs that we were in an area that was being rehabilitated for estuarine crocodiles, it was a rocky and steep climb.
The rocky "path" up to the rock art.
No, it's not Spiderman - the photos won't print the right way up - again!

The billabong for crocodiles! under where we were climbing. 

The beautiful "hands" of a long time ago.

A beautiful "find" under a ledge. 
More beautiful art.



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